And the top vegan destination in the world is ...

Vegans may have trouble finding suitable restaurants in their own hometown, but finding one while traveling just got a little easier. New York-based website The Daily Meal just revealed its list of the 9 best vegan destinations in the world. Topping the list at No. 1? Tel Aviv.

Which comes as no surprise to us here at From The Grapevine. From hummus to falafel, Israel's menus are replete with vegan options. The Mediterranean diet – rich in olive oil, fresh fruits and whole grains – is perfect for vegans. Last year, more than 10,000 people attended a vegan barbecue near Tel Aviv. Not to mention Israel was the first country to persuade Domino's to make a dairy-free pizza.

Vegan Friendly, an Israel-based organization, was behind a Facebook campaign to convince Domino's to introduce the vegan option. Omri Paz, the group's founder, was happy to see Tel Aviv rank on The Daily Meal's new list. "It's not a surprise to me because we've seen the changes that have happened here in Tel Aviv in the past few years," he told From The Grapevine, citing the boom in vegan restaurants in the coastal city. "In the past few years, it has become the most vegan place in the world."

A versatile hummus dip is a crowd-pleaser, especially for the vegans at your table. (Photo: Anna_Pustynnikova/Shutterstock)

Paz estimates that about 5 percent of Israel's population is vegan, compared to about half of that in the United States. "In Tel Aviv," he says, "awareness to veganism, health and the environment is really high."

Other cities that made the list include Vancouver, Portland, Berlin and New York City.

Sarah Berkowitz, a cook and frequent contributor to our Israeli Kitchen, is married to a vegan. “My husband’s journey from the typical American diet to vegetarian and now vegan has been a wonderful experience," she says. "One of our daughters joined him on this nutritious adventure, and honestly, the rest of us are benefiting as well by paying more attention to our fruit and vegetable consumption.

"When people hear about my husband’s vegan choice, they think it must be so difficult to cook dinner. But it’s really simpler," she continued. "You spend most of your time shopping in the produce section and pay little attention to the rest. At home, it’s a lot of peeling, chopping and sautéing, but the results are meals that look gorgeous and colorful, and make you feel great.”

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Benyamin Cohen
writes about everything from science to entertainment – and sometimes about dating apps for dogs.